Monday 29 April 2019

The Best Storage Solutions For Your work Van



Space and storage are daily concerns for businesses and van owners. They determine your experience when carrying cables, wiring tools, nuts, and plumbing accessories, among others. The market has a wide range of van storage equipment you can use to transform your van.

Storage requires easy retrieval. This means that you can predict the position of a particular size of nuts or bolts even after taking a trip for an entire hour. You also need quick access to these accessories immediately you get to your work address so as to serve your clients as soon as possible.

There are several considerations to make when choosing storage units.

  • Items to be stored- the nature of cargo will determine the storage unit to use. There are heavy tools that require solid material like steel. Others require units that can be locked for safety purposes. This means that each business will have unique options based on the cargo being stored. 
  • Space Required- how much space do you have and how much do you need? Pipes might be long and therefore need storage units outside the vehicle. Nails, clips, and bolts are too small to be strewn all over the floor of the van. They will, therefore, require storage units in the form of chests. You will need to install storage units that are effective yet leave enough space for workers to retrieve them and perform other activities inside the van. 
  • Budget-how much money do you have to spend on installing the storage units? The budget determines the size of units, materials to use and features of units to be installed. There are different options for van storage units based on your budget. However, do not seek to save too much on these units to the extent of getting low-quality units. 
  • Material to use-storage units are made of different materials. The options include wood, steel, aluminum, cast iron, and synthetic material, among others. The material used will determine durability, budget and how well they serve your needs. For instance, a metallic chest used for storing nuts and bolts might make your vehicle noisy. You might have to use cloth lining inside the chest to absorb the noise. 
  • Fixed or removable- storage units can be fixed onto the body of your van or removable. Fixed storage units mean that you have limited control over the usage of this space. However, it provides certainty since you know you have a particular space for different accessories. Movable storage units allow you to use the van for other purposes. However, you have to bear with the inconvenience of removing and fixing them back whenever you need them. 
Each business has unique storage needs. This means that you have to make a choice based on what suits your business. Sample different options available in the market to find units that meet your expectations like quality and budget. You will be surprised at the options you can use for your van. Here are the options you can choose.

  1. Jet rack ladder storage system-it is used for storing ladders insider the van. It utilizes your wall and roof instead of leaving the ladders outside to elements or placing them on the floor. The ladders are easy and quick to retrieve. It is affordable and will give excellent value for money. 
  2. Shelving-shelves are not enclosed and therefore provide quick access to the tools or accessories they hold. They are used on instances where advanced security of these goods or tools on transit is not necessary. The shelves may be foldable or fixed. Fixed shelves could be durable though they offer rigid usage of your van. Foldable shelves allow you to only use them when the need arises. When they are not in use, they create space for other activities on the van. 
  3. Enclosed box storage- these are solutions designed to provide extra security and discreteness. You will lock in your tools once they are placed on the van storage units. They are a bit rigid because they cannot accommodate tools or accessories of unconventional size. This means that you must design the shelves with foresight. Cabinets and drawers form part of enclosed storage options. The can be designed to offer a mixture of enclosed and open storage units. This allows you to combine security and easy access which are natural parts of all businesses. The cabinets may feature drawers that are locked individually or where a single locking system is used for several drawers. 
  4. Slid out drawers and shelves- these are modern day van storage equipment and units designed with extra attention on ergonomic. They are designed to offer quick access to tools or accessories without having to enter the van. You have to spend more on the slid-out drawers and shelves because they require a retrieval mechanism. They may be installed on one side of the van or both. You may also have them installed on at the bottle while other storage options like hooks and fixed shelves are at the top. 
  5. Rotating wheel stand- these are innovative chests and bins that are mounted on the top rear well hump. They have a gear locking mechanism that stops the chests at strategic places. This will provide easy and quick access at different positions. They may be fixed at the rear door. The drawing mechanism has to be professionally designed and oiled to prevent metal to metal damage. 

There are numerous innovative storage units to consider which will transform the way you store accessories and goods on transit. Based on the design, you need a professional to install the systems on your van.

Each choice comes with budgetary implications. Invest in the best storage unit and you will enjoy great value and efficiency for your van. Most of the options emerging today are addressing ergonomics to a great extent. This will reduce response time and also make work for your technicians easy. Choose the innovative jet rack ladder storage system because it will transform how you store accessories and use your van.

Friday 12 April 2019

Things to Consider While Upfitting Cargo Vans

Using a cargo van in its basic form will be underutilizing it. Such a step would even cause you to be slow in meeting customer expectations or spend more where you would have spent less. There are several options for uplifting cargo vans including installation of van ladder rack, shelves and cabinets, among others.

Uplifting should not be taken lightly as if it is meant for fun. You need to make your van more useful and also get value for the uplifting. There are decisions you might take and end up reducing the utility value of your van.

Take Stock of Your Uplifting Needs 

Buying a cargo van is driven by the need to make your operations more efficient. This also applies to uplifting the van. The decision to install a ladder rack for van or shelves must be driven by the need to have these accessories on the vehicle. If they are not needed, they will be useless on the van.

The needs for each client or van will change from time to time. For instance, a technician starting off will only require a single ladder and supplies. As time goes, the technician hires more workers and needs to carry more ladders. You are forced to upgrade over time. Instead of having to dismantle then reinstall the racks, you should consider installing a durable rack.

You also need to consider what other uses the van is put. This will direct you on installation of either permanent or temporary fittings. It also guides you on the features to have on the upfitting.

Frequency of Use or Repetition 

You will need to study how your technicians interact with the cargo van. This guides you on the accessories to add and their positioning. If an accessory is used frequently, you will have to position it at a place where it is easy to access. Where the use is not frequent, you give way to others that are frequent.

Repetition also helps you to enhance convenience of usage. It should be convenient to access ladders from the roof of a van. This is why the van ladder rack you install should come with easy dropping and hoisting features. This repetitive action can cause health problems especially if they will be required to bend.

Repetition helps you to plan on maximizing time for access. If the action of retrieving a tool is repeated often, you will need to put the tools closer. However, this is not a reason to compromise other elements like safety and security. Find a balance that works for you.

Vehicle Control

There are several factors that can interfere with vehicle control while on the road. It will be difficult to ride in a vehicle that is noisy because you will not be conscious of what is happening around you. You should therefore consider installations that will make the vehicle as quiet and controllable as possible.

Obstruction of vision will cause the drive to lose control. No upfitting should obstruct either front or back view. This is why regulations demand that no accessories are added on the side of the van. This endangers the lives of people and exposes goods on transit to damage.

Weight is also likely to affect vehicle control. Identify materials that are lighter and will not affect the weight of your van. Remember that if your shelves or the ladder rack for van is heavy, you will limit the weight of cargo you can carry. The upfitting must also be done proportionately. Avoid making one side heavier than the other because the vehicle will be difficult to control.

Safety of People and Cargo

How safe will the goods or accessories you are transporting be? Vehicle maneuvers will obviously cause the items to move from side to side. The upfitting must ensure that this movement does not expose them to damage. Knocking too much on the side of the vehicle will also damage the body.

People traveling in the van or outside must be considered. A hammer or piece of metal that is allowed free movement on the floor of the van will cause injuries to technicians traveling in the van. This is why shelves and hooks are installed. They must be secured because the momentum can reap them out.

When the vehicle is traveling on the road, other road users are exposed to danger of falling ladders and equipment. This is why installations like van ladder rack must be done by professionals. They also should be done using quality materials that will withstand road maneuvers. Falling ladders or accessories from the vehicle will be a distraction that is likely to cause an accident. This must be avoided by all means.

Cost of Upfitting

The cost of upfitting the van must be reasonable. This is especially important because the vans are used for business. You will only get value for money by being considerate of the price of installations you are making.

The price will depend on materials used, features included, size of upfitting and charges by fabricators, among others. Quality materials are rather expensive. However, the most expensive ladder rack is not necessarily the best quality. Check reviews of accessories like ladder rack for van, shelves and mats, among others. These reviews help you decide on the best material to use.

The quotation you get should be personalized and itemized. Your upfitting needs are different from those of other clients. You should therefore not accept a copied quotation. The quotation must also capture details of the payment you are going to make. These details ensure that there are no hidden costs associated with a lump sum figure.

Take a holistic view of upfitting and plan accordingly. Piecemeal planning and upfitting is likely to end up as expensive and in effective. Consider whether you are using the upfittings permanently or for a season so that they can be fixed on the body or mobile. Prepare a budget for quality materials that will make your van elegant and durable. Quality upfitting like van ladder rack or shelves give you confidence that your van will serve intended purpose.